The prime minister is chief executive of the Qatar Investment Authority, the sovereign wealth fund that that recycles the emirate’s gas revenues and invested in prime property projects in London, including The Shard, Europe’s tallest building.

The sensitive transition is to occur as Qatar is at the forefront of diplomacy surrounding the Syria crisis and is a key sponsor of rebels fighting Bassar al Assad.

Sheikh Hamad, the emir, has overseen the transformation of the once sleepy state, since he took power in a bloodless coup in 1995. With a relatively tiny population of less than two million, Qatar is now a leading force in Middle East politics and has lent strong support to rebel uprisings during the Arab Spring.